New research from Cigna Healthcare shows an “alarming link” between rising costs of living and declining health across the UK population.
The Cost-of-living pressure could trigger global health crisis report found more than half (45%) of UK adults believed it is becoming too expensive to stay healthy, while over one in ten (12%) surveyed had experienced increased medical expenses.
The research surveyed citizens across the UK, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, The Netherlands, UAE, and USA, aged between 16 and 65, representative of age, gender and income.
Cigna also found that healthcare is the top concern for one in ten (13%) of people in the UK, ranking below economic and inflation concerns, but ahead of climate change (10%), inequality (7%) and job security (5%).
Generation Z were the most affected, the research found, with 73% of 16-24 year olds stressed about the rising cost of staying healthy.
Meanwhile, around two in three UK adults (65%) ranked the public healthcare system's ability to meet the medical needs for them individually or for their family as either ‘fair' or ‘poor' - comparative to the global level of 63%.
In response to the reports finding, Jason Sadler, president of International Health at Cigna Healthcare has called on business leaders to take the 5% Pledge and dedicate five percent of their time to support their employees' mental health.
"The current economic environment is having a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and families, at home, at work and in our communities," Sadler commented.
"Employers have a responsibility to help safeguard UK's current and future workforce by supporting employee health and wellbeing."
